Lowe's CEO credits AI for dramatic improvements in customer service
Lowe's is getting measurable gains from its in-store AI assistant. CEO Marvin Ellison said stores using the "Mylow" assistant are seeing customer experience metrics improve by about 2%, with the biggest lift coming from new associates who need fast product knowledge on the floor.
The core idea: give reps instant answers and context while they're with the customer. That closes knowledge gaps, shortens interactions and reduces handoffs.
Why this matters for customer support teams
This is a live example of agent-assist done right. AI doesn't replace reps; it raises the floor so new hires can perform closer to veterans, and it compresses ramp time.
- On-demand knowledge beats static training. Associates get product details, compatibility notes and alternatives in the moment.
- Faster, more confident answers improve trust and reduce callbacks or returns.
- Small lifts add up. A 2% improvement at scale is meaningful in CSAT and revenue protection.
What Lowe's rolled out for pros
Lowe's is doubling down on professional contractors while tuning the in-store experience. EVP of Stores Joe McFarland said the company added "Pro Companion" to its AI toolset. It helps associates prep for pro conversations by surfacing relevant info and ready-made recommendations.
They also expanded MyLowe's Rewards with "Pro Extended Aisle" to streamline quoting and purchasing for small- and mid-sized pros. Members get an expanded digital catalog with real-time inventory and pricing, plus direct-to-jobsite delivery from select suppliers. "This new capability not only improves the customer experience, it replaces what was a time-consuming process for our associates with a single click," McFarland said.
Results and reality check
Pro sales, online and home services stayed strong. Comparable sales rose 1.3% year over year in Q4 2025, and net sales grew 10.9% to nearly $20.6 billion.
Leadership is still cautious. Lowe's reduced 600 corporate and support roles, citing consumer reluctance to make big home investments. Ellison noted the cuts are about financial agility while continuing to fund customer-facing work.
Competitive context
Home Depot is tuning store execution as well, introducing an operations experience manager role to standardize processes and strengthen interconnected shopping and last-mile fulfillment. Translation: everyone is racing to make front-line work simpler and more consistent.
Playbook: apply this to your support org
- Start with agent-assist, not full automation. Pilot an AI sidebar that fetches trusted answers, compatible alternatives and policy guidance in real time.
- Cut new-hire ramp with "day-one useful" knowledge. Map top 100 questions and build short, AI-readable notes with decision trees and links, not long manuals.
- Pre-conversation briefs for high-value customers. Rep-ready summaries with past purchases, open issues, and likely needs (Lowe's "Pro Companion" is the pattern).
- Quote and order from the same screen. If your tools require three systems to build a quote, integrate them. Aim for "single click" repeat actions.
- Measure what matters. Track first-contact resolution, handle time, returns/redo rate and CSAT for AI-assisted vs. non-assisted interactions.
- Tight content governance. Give AI access to one clean, versioned knowledge source. Remove outdated SKUs, policies and pricing weekly.
- Coach to outcomes, not usage. Scorecards should reward faster resolution and accuracy, not how often someone clicks the AI button.
- Design for edge cases. Create quick escalation paths when AI confidence is low or the customer is at risk.
Key quotes
- Marvin Ellison: "Dramatic improvements in customer service" with Mylow; roughly 2% CX lift in stores using it.
- Joe McFarland on Pro Companion: It lets associates "walk in with recommendations already in hand."
- On Pro Extended Aisle: It replaces a "time-consuming process… with a single click."
Go deeper
If you're building an agent-assist program for your team, start here: AI Learning Path for User Support Specialists.
For broader customer service tooling and playbooks: AI for Customer Support.
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